Deceived By My Love
by Shirahana
Summary: Sakura was known as the Ice Queen after the death of her beloved. But Syaoran's here to change that. Will she go back to being the Ice Queen after another heart break? Or will Syaoran try to rekindle their relationship before its too late? *S+S*
1. Funeral

**_Decieved By My Love_**   
By: Shirahana

  
  
  
  
**AN:** Hi everyone! ^_^ I'm back! Now that Do You Remember Me is out of the way, I'll have plenty of time to work on this story! This is just the prologue, and mind you, its _very_ short! Also, I would like to mention my co-author, Shirazuki. She didn't really _write_ anything, but she helped me make my plot more interesting. Okay, this is what happened. _I_ had created a plot and I phoned Shirazuki and told her about it. Being the great author she is, she showed me character development, which I added to the story. This prologue lets you know a bit about Sakura's past. I hope you enjoy! Please R+R and tell me what you think about this new fic!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Prologue**  
  
  
  
Hanami peered out the open window nervously. A small breeze rustled through her hair as if to calm her. Was it anticipation that caused her to worry? 

A fancy black car pulled into the driveway and Hanami's heart beat faster. 'Is she nice? Polite? Shy?' Inevitable questions flooded her mind. 

A woman stepped out of the driver seat and went back to the passenger seat. She held the door open, and out stepped a girl around the age of six. The woman held her small hand in hers and the two made their way to the front door step. 

Excited and nervous the same time, Hanami hastily opened the door. "Come in, come in," she ushered. 

The two guests were led into the living room. Hanami quickly brought out a large plate of chocolate chip cookies she had prepared. She smiled warmly and set them in front of the young girl. 

"Sakura, help yourself while we discuss some things in the other room, okay?" the social worker said calmly. 

Sakura nodded slightly as she nibbled her cookie. Meanwhile, the two grown-ups headed into the kitchen. 

Hanami shut the door gently behind her. "She looks really sweet and shy," she immediately commented. 

Suki smiled, "Yes," she agreed. "Sakura is a very good girl. You shouldn't have any problems taking care of her." Then her expression turned serious. "Her parents died recently. Sakura used to be much happier. During these few days I've been with her, she's been very bashful and extremely polite. I suggest you try getting her comfortable here. She needs time to adjust." 

Hanami nodded in agreement. "I will try my best," she said sincerely. Though she had never had a child herself, she was willing to accept the responsibilities that lay ahead. 

"Great," Suki said confidently. 

They headed back into the living room where Sakura was still quietly munching the fresh baked goods. 

Suki kneeled down in front of Sakura. "I'll be leaving now, Sakura. Your new family will take good care of you, so don't you worry. I'll check back in a few days, okay?" 

Sakura nodded. She hadn't spoken a word since. 

Suki gave her a reassuring smile, "Now be good!" 

Hanami led her out of the door then returned to check on Sakura. 'Here's my first big step to becoming a mother,' she told herself. 

Hanami sat quietly across from Sakura, observing the young girl. She ate quietly, not the rude type. She was dressed neatly, not the messy type. Lastly, her eyes shone truth. Hanami couldn't help but let a small smile slip. The young girl's eyes lifted and met Hanami's. From then on, a special bond between them formed. The new mother-daughter relationship started. To Sakura, she had finally found a family.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Chapter 1 : Funeral**  
  
  
  
An exasperated girl tumbled into her messy apartment. Her untidy auburn hair damp with the mid-July's heat in Tokyo. She carried a load of papers in a large duffel-like bag, cursing as she went. She tripped over a small pile of clothes, which sent all the papers flying into the air. 

"Damn!" Sakura cursed. A bang covered her left eye and she gave a loud puff to blow it onto the side. "Just _how_ am I supposed to sort all these back in the right order?!" 

By now, her whole room was covered in white by the scattered papers. Sakura sat back, looked up desperately and sighed, "Boss is expecting me to finish that article by tomorrow..." 

She impatiently picked up the papers one by one, muttering angrily to herself. She stashed them on her desk - which was already full with pens and other papers. She stomped into the kitchen and heated a TV dinner. The microwave door refused to close, so she punched it shut, hurting her fist along with it. 

Sakura sat on the old brown couch and flipped through the channels on TV. Sakura came upon a soap opera that was at its climax. Her eyes softened, remembering her own experience. But she quickly shook the thought away. "Love, who needs it?" she spat, and turned the T.V. off. 

The phone's piercing ring startled Sakura. Who could be calling her? 'Probably boss asking for more articles,' she thought glumly. Being the boss's favorite newspaper reporter was tough. They just asked too much of you! 

"Moshimoshi (Hello)?" Sakura said into the phone. 

"Sakura," came a familiar voice. A sad voice. 

"Hanami!" exclaimed Sakura happily. So, she did remember to call. "Why do you sound so sad? Is something wrong?" 

Hanami wept loudly on the other side of the phone, "He... passed away today..." she managed to say through loud sobs. 

"Nani?" Sakura asked, thoroughly confused. "Who....?" Then it hit her. Of course! Her foster father! Yumiru! He was the other important person in Hanami's life! But now... he's.... 

"No..." Sakura cried. "That can't be true..." A wave of memories and emotion coursed through her body. 'Not again...' 

With that, Sakura dropped the phone. Its loud clang didn't seem to bother her this time. She felt tears approaching her eyes, but refused to let them out. She had vowed to herself to never cry again, and wasn't about to break that vow. Plus, she wasn't dubbed the Ice Queen for no reason. And Ice Queens did not cry. But why was it happening again and again? 

Without a word of goodbye, Sakura hung up the phone, crawled into her bed, and hugged her blanket close to her. Why was this happening to her? She didn't do anything wrong.... had she? This was definitely not her day. Tomorrow didn't look so bright, either. 

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Sakura tramped into her boss's office empty-handed. Her upset expression told a lot. The cool air conditioning calmed Sakura down a bit, but was not enough. She closed the door behind her gently. 

Yutaka looked up from his work and smiled at Sakura. "Need anything?" His friendly face shone in the bright morning sunlight that streaked through the window. 

Sakura sighed and sat down in a chair. "I didn't get to finish the article on the new building," Sakura began. 

"And why is that?" 

Sakura took a deep breath, "Yumiru passed away yesterday." 

Yutaka's expression reflected concern and gravity, "I'm sorry to hear that..." He knew very well of how kind Yumiru was. And he also knew very well of the last incident. 

"W-would it be okay if I took a short vacation back to Tomoeda? I need to help Hanami prepare the... funeral." She paused at the word 'funeral,' for it sent chills down her spine. Discussing this topic threatened to spill tears. 

After a short silence, Yutaka nodded. "Sure, how long would you like?" 

"Maybe a week?" she asked uncertainly. 

Yutaka smiled, "Take care, Sakura-chan." 

"Hai," Sakura bowed and left the air-conditioned room. 

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"Hanami?" Sakura called as she stepped into a familiar house. 

"Sakura!" cried Hanami as she ran down the stairs. They shared a quick hug and sat down. "So how has your work been?" 

Sakura sighed, "It's okay, I guess. It's actually harder than I thought. All day long, it's just articles by tomorrow. I was supposed to do an article for Yutaka-kun today, but I didn't. Good thing he let me off easy!" Sakura said relieved. 

Hanami smiled slyly. "Sakura, its about time you let someone else in your life..." 

Sakura looked down, not wanting to remember the past. "But... how can I? He was everything to me..." 

"Sakura, you can't be a loner forever! Yutaka-kun is a good man. He's nice and caring. It would really do you some good, Sakura!" Hanami scolded. 

"But I just..._can't_! I still think about him..." Sakura said sadly. She lifted her eyes to meet Hanami's, "I don't think I can ever forget about him..." 

"Yes you _can_ leave him behind, Sakura. Of course you don't want to _forget_ him... But you need to move on..," Hanami sighed. "Things like this happen..." 

Sakura suddenly realized Hanami must be experiencing the same thing. After all, she came here to attend Yumiru's funeral. Disgust for her own selfishness swept over Sakura. How could she be thinking about her own problems when Hanami was the main target? 

"I'm really sorry...I mean, for talking about this and all..." 

"Sakura... it's not your fault, child..." 

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Sakura pulled on a black skirt along with a black top. She took a deep breath and reviewed her vow to herself. 'Remember,' she told herself sternly, '_no_ crying no matter what the circumstances.' 

The week seemed to pass by faster than she could count. Hanami and she spent large amounts of time preparing for the funeral, wanting everything to be perfect. Yumiru was an excellent father to her. Though Hanami and Yumiru were not blood related to her, she still thought they were the best parents in the whole wide world. Who wouldn't? 

Sakura groaned as another one of her, memory _attacks_, as she called it, hit her. It wasn't too long ago when Hanami told her about her real parents, Nadeshiko and Fuujitaka. It also wasn't too long ago when - 

"Sakura, are you ready?" Hanami knocked on the door to her bedroom. "We have to get there before everyone else." 

"Coming!" Sakura replied. 

The last two family members climbed into Hanami's small and humble car and drove to Tomoeda's Funeral Home. Indeed, they were early, the first ones to be exact. Soon after, crowds of people arrived, filling the parking lot until the other had to park by the street. 

One by one, the many friends of Yumiru said their farewells. Sobs and grieving could be heard everywhere. Everyone approached Sakura and Hanami, pitying them. 

A tall slim girl with midnight blue hair and a tall proud brown-haired man stepped over to Sakura. Their outfits seemed expensive and much more highly classed than any other's. They looked to be in their early twenties, Sakura's age. 

"You must be Sakura Kinomoto," said the blue-haired girl. 

Sakura smiled politely and bowed, "Hai." 

"Your father is my archeology teacher in the Tomoeda College. He's told me a lot about you!" the girl smiled. "Oh, what manners do I have? I forgot to introduce ourselves! Please forgive me! I'm Yaki Tenkuu and this is Syaoran Li." Yaki pointed toward the man beside her. 

Sakura noticed the man Syaoran for the first time. She was quite startled by his appearance. His expression was stern and serious; his eyes deep and mysterious the same time. He stood tall and dominant, a feature that a lot of men lacked. Sakura quickly shook the thoughts out of her head and replied, "Nice to meet you two." 

"Aw... to have your otousan (father) pass away when you're so young..." Even though they were strangers, Yaki gave Sakura a friendly hug. "Everything will be fine as long as you concentrate on your goal," advised Yaki. 

Sakura couldn't help but smile. People haven't been this nice to her in years! "Thank you," she said, sounding a bit surprised. As soon as she was labeled a loner, no one bothered to care about her anymore. Sakura could only push herself deeper into isolation. 

Not long after, a soft conversation started between Sakura and Yaki. The two new friends chatted on about their life, goal and hobbies. Who'd ever expect there'd be happiness in such a sad place? 

Syaoran stood politely aside, listening to their conversation like a reserved gentleman. He was quite amused by Sakura's life, all the hardship she had endured and her ability to go on. Her innocent face reflected none other than honestly, diligence and truth. Yaki on the other hand, always gave up too easily when she encountered a tough obstacle. 

'Wait,' Syaoran stopped himself from his thoughts. 'Why am I comparing Yaki to Sakura?' he questioned himself. He hastily shook the thought out of his head and looked around. People were starting to leave and Sakura and Yaki were still chatting. Maybe he should subtly interrupt the conversation like the trained gentleman he was brought up to be; that way, he wouldn't seem rude to Sakur- 

'Arg! I'm doing it again! Why am I so nervous to make a bad impression in front of Sakura?! Its not like I've ever made a bad impression of myself before, so why should I now?" he questioned himself. by now, Syaoran was frustrated at himself. 

"Oh!" Yaki exclaimed, breaking all of Syaoran's thoughts. "Look at the time! It's getting late and I think it's about time to leave." 

Sakura looked wildly around for a clock, her face horror stricken. Everyone _was_ leaving. "Oh no!" Sakura cried. "I was supposed to stand outside to say bye to all the people who attended! I gotta go! Sorry!" she called out as she ran toward the exit. 

Syaoran chuckled softly to himself, then turned to Yaki. "We better get going." 

Yaki nodded and looped her arms around Syaoran's and the two left the funeral home. 

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Sakura's eyelids threatened to shut on her as she drove to work the next day. "Why is this happening again?" she moaned to herself, over and over again. She parked the car and trudged into her office. With her posture low, Sakura slumped into her seat. She waved off all the people who greeted her. 

Sakura scrunched her eyebrows in fury as she wracked her brain to find something to write about. She stared into the dark computer screen in front of her, then gasped in shock. 

A man around the twenties seemed to materialize in the computer itself! His jet-black bangs covered his eyes. His hand reached out to Sakura, as if calling, "Come.... I need you..." 

Sakura reached her hand toward the computer, but the screen blocked her off between the man. "No.... Tenouchi-kun.... Come back..." she wailed quietly as the man began disappearing mysteriously as he had came. 

"SAKURA!" a deep voice boomed into her ear. 

Sakura gave a startled cry, and stared at Yutaka with eyes full of hope. "Did you see him?" she asked him eagerly. "Did you see him?? He was _there_!" 

Yutaka sighed and sat down beside Sakura. "No, Sakura-chan... There was nothing... You were hallucinating. There was nothing on the computer screen." 

"No! He was there! I saw him! He came for me..." Sakura said firmly. 

Yutaka sighed once more. "Sakura-chan..." he said slowly. "He's dead now... He's gone... You need rest. Look at you, you're practically falling asleep. Why don't you take today off as well? You're not up to the work today," he said, his voice filled with concern. 

'She won't forget,' Yutaka told himself. 'If only she _would_ forget...' his thoughts trailed off. 

"A-are you sure about this? I mean... I already took last week off... " began Sakura. 

Yutaka smiled, "You need all the rest you can get! Plus, I need my top reporter in good shape, right?" he joked. 

"All right..." Sakura agreed reluctantly. "Thank you, Yutaka-kun." 

As Sakura left the building, she could hear Hanami's words echo through her mind, '"Sakura, its about time you let someone else in your life... Sakura, you can't be a loner forever! Yutaka-kun is a good man. He's nice and caring. It would really do you some good, Sakura!"' 

'Maybe everyone's right... To forget... Find someone new...' Sakura convinced herself. 

_To be continued..._   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**AN:** o_O; Poor Sakura.... So many things happened to her.... So, has anyone figured how who Tenouchi-kun is yet? *lol* I think I left enough clues on that! Just answer in your review ^_^. Plus, if you answered, I'll _know_ people actually read the Author's Notes. 

If you would like to be notified of the upcoming chapters, just drop your e-mail off in your review and _tell_ me that you want to be notified, okay? 

Chapter 2: hopefully coming out on August 11th. 

Until next time... 


	2. Friendly Encounter

**_Decieved By My Love_**   
By: Shirahana

  
  
  
  
**AN:** It's been a long time hasn't it? Didn't I say this chapter will _hopefully_ be out by August 11th, but it didn't come out then did it? ^,^;; Heh heh.. sorry for the long wait folks! This chapter isn't probably what you had expected. But _hopefully_, you'll enjoy it... If you _must_, flame me... ~_~; But be nice...!

Thank you for those who have reviewed! ^_^ I really appreciate your comments!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Chapter 2 : Friendly Encounter**  
  
  
  
The weekends were Sakura's favorite time of the week. Relaxation was strongly needed, especially for Sakura. Good thing she wasn't a daily reporter, she had thought. She would never be able to live without a short break. This was the only time of the week where she was free to do her own things. 

Sakura poked her head out of the blanket, only to find rays of sunlight attack her eyes. Momentarily blinded, Sakura rubbed her eyes sleepily. The clock read exactly noon. A fresh start from all her thoughts proved to be a good idea. 

Looking around her room, Sakura realized for the first time how messy it was. Worn clothes were scattered across the room, for she was too lazy to throw it in the overloaded laundry basket. Pens and pencils seemed to sprout out of nowhere. Dust lay on all the untouched high surfaces of shelves that Sakura didn't bother with. Heaps of paper were stashed here and there. Candy (a big favorite of Sakura's) was hidden in convenient areas so she could easily grab them at will. As a result, a big mound of wrappers were piled beside the empty trashcan. But then again, throwing a wrapper half way across the room with Sakura's skill was quite tough. One percent chance to be exact. {AN: -_-; that sounds like me...} 

The only _clean_ place in the whole apartment was the area around Sakura's small bookshelf. It contained all of her favorite books in brand new condition. Every once in a while, Sakura would go to the bookstore and buy more to read. Lately, her visits to the bookstore decreased as she became more occupied with work. 

Sakura looked at the case of books with hope. Someday, she was going to write a bestseller book, she had told herself from time to time. But on what? The perfect plot never came to her. 

Getting a sudden urge to visit the bookstore, Sakura quickly pulled on her white shorts and loose pink T-shirt and brushed her teeth. She grabbed a Hershey chocolate bar and headed out the door, having no intention to eat a very late breakfast. But hey, the chocolate could pass. 

The bookstore was not too far away, but with Tokyo's population, it took a while to get there. Sakura was used to all the pushing and shoving. Usually, she would've shoved back, but in today's mood, violence was not even considered. 

Sakura stepped in the bookstore and immediately headed for the romance/fiction section. No matter what, she could not get Hanami's words out of her head. The words soon resembled the never-ending song, and Sakura knew she would do anything to get it out of her mind. Maybe reading a few romance novels would help ease away the annoyance. Maybe it could even help her pick out the perfect guy! Who knows? But whatever the way, Sakura was determined to do anything to eradicate Hanami's words. 

After roughly rummaging through the selection of books, something finally caught Sakura's eyes, _Love and Betrayal_ by Shirazuki. 

The book seemed worthy of buying, but unfortunately, it was at the top shelf. Sakura surveyed the area around her, there was no stool she could use. She tiptoed and tried to grab for the book. 

Miss. 

Again, she groped for the book. It was not long before her patience wore out and frustration grew. 

Out of thin air, a hand simply grabbed the book off the shelf. 

Sakura's first reaction was to claim that she was going to buy the book. But when she looked up, a familiar face was grinning down at her. 

"Need this?" he asked as he handed Sakura the book. 

A bit confused, Sakura accepted, "Thank you, Mr. Li," she said in a formal tone. How else was she supposed to speak to the famous owner of Japan's largest business? 

Now knowing what to do or say, Sakura nervously went back to looking for a good book. She felt the eyes of Syaoran Li glancing furtively at her. Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached for another book. 

"So uh, Ms. Kinomoto," Syaoran started. 

Sakura did not bother to turn around and look. She kept rummaging through the books. 

What was he supposed to say? Striking a conversation was supposed to be easy! Or at least it had been for him...until now. 'I could talk about the weather, wait no. That is the only thing you never talk about,' Syaoran told himself. 'What about "How's it going?" No, too overused. But it does sound casual... Or maybe comment on her hair? No... Clothes? How dimly lit the bookstore is?' Nothing seemed just _right_. 

"Wow, there's lots of books here," Syaoran finally blurted out, not realizing what he had just said. 

Sakura stopped rummaging through the books and turned to face Syaoran. She smirked and replied quizzically, "I do believe so, Mr. Li. After all, this _is_ a book store..." 

Syaoran could have slapped himself right in front of her. How humiliating! Here he was, the famous, rich and successful businessman, in a bookstore, commenting on how many books there were! Never in his life had he said anything as ridiculous as that! 'How can I be such an idiot?' Syaoran chastised himself. 

"I guess I wasn't thinking right," he laughed at himself. Trying to make a quick recovery, he quickly asked, "So what brings you here today?" He thought he almost saw a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks. 

What was she supposed to say? 'I'm here because I'm seeking a boyfriend? That'll sound even more ridiculous than what he had said!' Sakura cried in her mind. 

"I'm simply looking for a book. Now that I found one, I must go buy some groceries now," Sakura informed matter-of-factly. 

Before Syaoran had a chance to respond, Sakura hastily paid for the book and rushed out the store. Confused, Syaoran followed her out. 

Outside, Sakura sighed. Why had she just done that? It made her look like a total fool! But what chances did she have to see him again? Probably none. 'There is no need to worry,' she concluded. 

She entered the local mart, filling her cart up quickly with anything that looked yummy. By the time she reached the cashier, she realized her cart was full. Correction: overflooded. She couldn't possibly give up the ice cream, chocolate or chunky chocolate chip cookies! {AN: heh heh ^-^; a personal favorite of mine...} This was the only time she had for renewing the food in her refrigerator. If she didn't buy it now, she wouldn't have time to buy it later. She sighed, might as well just purchase them all. 

After paying for the groceries, Sakura could only stare wide-eyed at the number of bags she had to carry home. With a defeated sigh, she carried seven bags in each hand. She could barely get through the exit door, how could she possibly get through Tokyo's population? 

She trudged through the thick crowds, losing momentum with each step. The heavy grocery were not helping one bit. 

"Need help?" came a familiar voice from behind. 

Sakura spun around in surprise and found herself face to face with Syaoran. She tried to murmur "No" but ended up speechless. 

Without waiting for a reply, Syaoran quickly grabbed a whole bunch of grocery bags from Sakura. "So where do you live?" he asked. 

Sakura stared in disbelief. She was no only holding three bags! Her face flushed red immediately. He acted as if it was absolutely normal! Like he did this on a regular basis! But she _did_ need help... 

"Well, it's just around the corner..." she stammered slightly. Embarrassment was inevitable. Having a famous stranger carrying groceries for you in the public was unthinkable to Sakura. She walked quickly, hoping to escape the situation she was in, and not even considering the fact that the person beside her was carrying something really heavy. 

Syaoran strode breathlessly next to Sakura. "Ms. Kinomoto -" 

"Sakura will do," she interrupted rudely. 

Her rudeness went unnoticed by Syaoran. "Fine," he smiled. "Only if you call me Syaoran. Say, doesn't Sakura mean some sort of a flower?" 

"Hai," Sakura nodded. "The cherry blossom to be exact. It just so happens to be my favorite flower, too," Sakura announced somewhat proudly. She finally slowed down her pace. 

"So what do you do as a job?" Syaoran questioned. 

"A newspaper reporter," she replied. The topic suddenly reminded herself of the article she was supposed to do. "You know the new building you constructed here in Tokyo? I'm supposed to do an article on that sometime soon. May I schedule an interview with you whenever you have some free time?" 

{AN: Recall in Chapter 1 where Sakura was supposed to do an article on a building? Hope you still remember... ~_~;} 

"Sure, there's nothing planned for tomorrow. Would seven in the evening be okay?" Syaoran asked as they approached Sakura's apartment. 

"Fine with me," Sakura agreed. Then a horrid thought struck. She couldn't possibly let Syaoran see her apartment! It was too messy! Plus, she was already in enough embarrassment. How awful and messy it would make her look! "I can take it from here, thank you very much!" She hastily grabbed the bags from Syaoran and ran into the building. 

"You're welcome," Syaoran murmured with a slight smile on his face, turned around, and headed home. 

Inside, Sakura fumbled for her apartment keys. After several tries, the door finally swung open. She dumped the groceries on the floor and leaned against the door. Why was she suddenly anticipating the interview tomorrow with Syaoran? 

"Syaoran..." she repeated his name out loud. Her attention drifted to the pigpen that lay in front of her. Realizing the groceries were not yet in the refrigerator, Sakura lugged all 14 bags into the kitchen. After putting away all the grocery, Sakura rested her hands on her hip and bit her lip. Exactly how was she to even _start_? She gave an exasperated sigh. What the real question was, how did she even become so messy? Memories of her old self came flooding back. She used to be so neat and organized. It was mainly Tenouchi who had encouraged her to be - 

Her thoughts came to an abrupt end. "Tenouchi," she whispered, extending an arm out as if reaching for an invisible person. She couldn't believe it! He was really gone...; gone from the world... 

Dead. 

The only man whom she had ever fallen in love with... The only man who had treated her differently other than the Ice Queen who was to be ignored. He had cared about her... He made her feel special, even when she felt like the unluckiest girl alive. He brought happiness in her cold gray prison she locked herself in. He was...everything... 

Sakura sigh sadly in remembrance of the warm smile that she could never forget. Why did things have to be this way? Why did she have to lose so many important people in her life? She often told herself this bad luck would soon run out. But maybe it had... Her thoughts floated back to Syaoran. No wait, what was she thinking? She barely even knew Syaoran! 

'He's just a nice stranger,' she convinced herself. With the conviction in mind, Sakura decided to start cleaning. 'Might as well do the laundry first...' she thought grimly. 

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{AN: Okay, I have absolutely no background information on the story I'm writing -_-; Does anyone know how interviews work? Does the reporter go to the person? Or do they schedule it and meet at a particular place? Well anyway, don't be mad at me for making a mistake, okay?} 

Dressed in a casual skirt and sleeveless shirt, Sakura grabbed a notepad and pen and stuffed it in her bag, then left the apartment. Though it was only around seven, the night was all ready starting to ascend. In the summer, day seemed to dominate along with heat, refusing to allow the coolness of the night in. But tonight was different. The air was crisp and sharp, and cool breezes came frequently. 

During the day, Tokyo was all bustle and business. It was during the night where the wonders came. The tall skyscrapers were alit, each showing off the lights that embellished the skyline. Not too far off, Sakura heard the happy cheers of children. That meant only one thing. There was another small festival tonight. No wonder tourists loved to come! There were festivals almost daily! Tokyo was all about fun! 

Distracted by the beautiful skyline and music, Sakura ran head straight into someone. She gave a small yelp and fell backwards. Before she could, a strong pair of arms held her securely. Her eyes widened and gasped for breath, shocked and somewhat fear-stricken. It all happened to fast, Sakura could barely make account of what just happened. Suddenly realizing she was breathing against someone's chest, her head shot up, only to find a pair of caring eyes silently chuckling down at her. Blushing crimson, Sakura quickly pulled away. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered. 

"No, don't be. It should be me apologizing. Are you all right?" Syaoran asked, his voice full and evident of concern. He reluctantly released her. For a brief moment, their eyes locked. He suddenly realized how beautiful the girl in front of him was. Her emerald eyes shone, even at dusk. They were absolutely gorgeous. _She_ was absolutely gorgeous. 

"I'm fine," she whispered softly, shyly looking away from him. 

An awkward silence followed. Neither could bring their eyes to meet each other, or speak a word. 

"Why don't we head over to the festival over there? It's too good to miss out," Syaoran suggested. 

"Sure!" Sakura agreed. Immediately, the silence that had befallen evaporated in an instance, much to Sakura's relief. She simply loathed uncomfortable silences. She quickly got out her notepad and pencil. "I better start now before we reach the festival," a small hint of excitement shone. 

"Well, there isn't a lot to know about..." began Syaoran. 

Sakura laughed, "Every little thing related to you always makes the headlines!" 

Syaoran groaned in reply, "Hmm, true." he said reluctantly. 

"You sure don't' seem too happy about it!" 

"I don't quite like being followed. I get this feeling of paranoia hanging in my head. I mean, rumor after rumor gets released into the public and not one of them are even _close_ to the real story!" 

"Oh! I remember one where people claimed that you were crazy because they saw you eating grass in your backyard!" Sakura cried. 

Syaoran practiced tripped. "That's not true!" he protested. "I was simply planting a few things in the garden! I remember I got some dirt on my face so of course I had to wipe it off." 

"And people had mistaken that for you putting grass in your mouth," Sakura finished, grinning widely. 

Syaoran groaned again, "You mean people even spied on me in my own backyard?" 

Sakura laughed, "Seems so! I always wondered how it was like to live like you..." she said a bit dreamily. 

"Well, there are ups and downs for everything," reasoned Syaoran. "I think I better start considering to buy a house somewhere in a secluded forest." 

Sakura giggled. "You just ruined one of my daydreams!" she accused. "You make your life sound horrible!" 

"Did I?" he grinned back. He almost added, 'It's not pleasant to have your marriage arranged.' 

Completely forgetting the interview, Sakura staffed her notepad and pen back in her pocketbook. "Come on," she grabbed Syaoran's hand and ran into the crowded festival, letting her old effervescent spirit out once more. 

This time, Syaoran could barely keep up with her, though he had nothing heavy to carry. {AN: -_-; I just had to add that sentence! *lol*} She was constantly skipping from booth to booth, eyes widening and glistening at the different displays. "Come on," she urged teasingly. By the time Syaoran caught up to her and blinked, she was another five booths ahead! 

Sakura finally stopped at one booth, not able to remove her eyes from the glittering object. When Syaoran finally caught up (which he couldn't believe he did), he realized Sakura was staring at a hair comb. He had to admit, it sure did look nice. Many flowers and designs were engraved on it, making it look somewhat like an ancient object passed down only to royal blooded family members. 

"Hello miss, would you like to buy that?" The lady in charge of the booth asked. 

Sakura shook her head sadly. The price was preposterous! Five thousand dollars! _And_ had to be paid in _cash_! 

Being a saleswoman, the lady quickly said, "These are real diamonds and it is completely hand-crafted by the famous jeweler _Fuusha Houjun_ [pronounced: Foo-sha Oh-hoon.] Absolutely no machinery involved." 

{AN: heh heh.... ridiculous pricing huh? Does anyone think I'm sticking in too many author notes? If it's getting annoying, please do tell me in the review so I'll put it at the end of the story... ^-^;} 

"Sorry, I -" Sakura started. 

"I'll take it," Syaoran cut in. 

Sakura's eyes widened in disbelief. She turned and stared at Syaoran. Was he crazy?! 

Syaoran paid in cash (as asked) and returned Sakura's stare with a small smile. He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and gently tucked the comb in. 

Sakura still couldn't believe what had just happened. All she could do was simply blush in return. Her mouth didn't seem to function, leaving her speechless. Her heart almost skipped a beat when Syaoran's hand accidentally came in contact with her cheek. 

Syaoran silently marveled her confounded and happy face. What was so special about this girl that made him buy her the hair comb? She was practically a stranger, too! He had never spent this much money on a person all at once before, not even on Yaki. Why did he do it now? To see the upset expression wiped off of Sakura's face? He was quite started for a moment by the answer, for it had been to see her smile once more. 

"Thank you," Sakura managed to stutter out after a short silence. "I-I don't know how to repay you..." Again, she was embarrassed. How did he do it to her? She didn't know. 

"No need to repay," Syaoran chuckled. 

Her nervousness vanished as fast as it had approached. Not able to control herself any longer, she flung her arms around his neck, "Arigatou, arigatou, arigatou, Syaoran! You don't know how much I appreciate this!" 

"Hey! Don't attack me there!" he joked as he staggered back. He had to hold Sakura against him in order to prevent them both from falling. 

"Gomennasai," she apologized, though giggling. She felt so special all of a sudden, as if someone really cared about her, and that... she cared about that someone back... 

The woman in charge of the booth smiled as she watched the happy "couple" embrace. They truly did look good together, not to mention cute in a way. 

Syaoran checked his watch. "It's getting late. We should head home before it's too dark." 

"Hai," Sakura agreed. 

The two left the festival walking hand in hand without even realizing it. The silence that floated in the air was not an uncomfortable one. In fact, the two cherished it, each in their own deep word of thoughts. Before they knew it, they arrived at Sakura's apartment. 

Sakura couldn't help but blush as they stood in front of the door to her apartment. She wanted to thank him again, but knew she would stutter. "Arigatou, Syaoran," she managed to murmur. 

He smiled back, "It was really nothing," and he meant it. It was an awkward feeling, really. A feeling to satisfy the girl in front of him no matter what. He found that even if he tried to hold the feeling back, it would only grow stronger and break lose anyway. Without really thinking, an urge inside him caused him to bend down and give a small peck on her cheek. "Goodnight Sakura," he whispered softly. 

Heart pounding, wide-eyed and awe-stricken, Sakura stood speechless, watching Syaoran slowly disappear. Her hand slowly touched the hair comb and trailed down to her cheek to where the kiss landed, and a dazed feeling swept over her. She couldn't believe what he had just done! Never had a stranger been so generous to her! And... and... was this a dream? She didn't know what to believe! Whatever the emotion was inside of her, she didn't give a thought more about it, for all she cared at the moment was knowing that she was special to someone. She entered her room and closed the door gently behind her, still with her hand on her cheek... 

_To be continued..._   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**AN:** Yeah!! This chapter's done!! Woohoo! If you want to be notified, drop your e-mail in your review and _tell me_ you want to be reviewed! Also, I really have nothing to blab about now since I had so many author's notes in the middle of the story! ~_~; Forgive me...? One last thing though, I'm a very busy person! I _try_ to find time to write, but it usually doesn't result like that... So.... the expected date for the next chapter might not come out until 2 months later.. o_O; That's why it is a good idea to join the notify list if you're interested in reading the next chapter! But... I'll try to get it out earlier... (like that's gonna happen ¬_¬;) 

Also, the scene in the bookstore was told to me by Shirazuki. She saw this show (produced by the same person who produced ths famous Chinese series called _Huang Zhu Ge Ge_) with that scene in it, and suggested I stick it in. ^_^ I think that's all to be said... 

Expected Date for Chapter 3: December 14, 2002! 

Until then... 


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